If I Hear One More Time........

[Tweety]

"we called everyone and no one will come in, and there's no agency available you're running short staffed tonight." I'll just scream. Everytime someone calls in sick they can't be replaced.

Why in one ear are they telling me I'm going to be short staffed and the other telling me we're getting admits!. :angryfire

I refused to take admits, saying we are short and I need time to take care of the three I just got, so what do they do? They fax report, call housekeeping themselves and bring the patient under the direction of the supervisor. I'm so angry if I wouldn't loose my license I'd quit right now.

Thanks. I feel so much better. Now I'll go back to looking up that med I was looking up, but just wanted to scream to someone who knows what I'm talking about, you know?

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Tweety - sorry for your stinkin shift. Its going to be more common I'm afraid. We really need some relief...Washington - are ya listening?

[nurseygrrl, LPN]

I know whatcha mean. I work in LTC so it's a little different, but it always seems we get new admits (and we get new admits ALOT) right at shift change (7-3 into 3-11) There are 3 nurses on days for 40 residents...evenings only has one nurse for 40 residents. So they are expected to care for 40 AND do an admit? So, of course when I come in the next day, the admit is totally botched. I'd rather just stay late and do it myself than have to 'fix' someone else's admit. What a pain in the rump! Glad you're feeling better :)

[bellehill, RN]

Had a similar situation last night, spent 2 hours trying to stabilize a patient sent to us from the ICU and get him off the floor. Hadn't seen my post-op patient for 2 hours (supposed to be q1h checks) and what does the coordinator say? Now that you have an empty bed you will get an admission. Gee thanks, I didn't really want to chart or provide patient care tonight anyway.

[Good_Queen_Bess]

It is so frustrating and annoying when this happens. I have been put in similar positions before. I have been the only qualified nurse running a ward before and have actually refused to admit patients because I felt it was unsafe. After all, the bed manager can push and push all she/he likes, but at the end of the day, if anything happens, I am responsible. I have also filled in incident reports and have reported things to senior staff if I am forced into situations, just to cover myself.

[akvarmit]

:chair: Tweety - I can totally relate! Our facility has given our floor the honor of piloting an "on call" schedule to cover our own calls offs - in an effort to avoid mandatory staffing. (Mighty big of them, eh?)

So, we all sign up for 2 nights of call per month. If someone calls off - the on call comes in. End of story. However, we don't have enough staff to cover all the nights. So, last night for me - it was primary nursing all the way when our nurses aid called off and there was no one on the "call schedule" - just happened to be a blank day.

Sigh. I can see how the constant working short on our unit is wearing away at the spirits of my co-workers and instead of joining forces and putting administration against a wall............we're all just gossiping and tearing apart each other.

And here in Pennsylvania all the doc's are whining and moaning with tv ads about demaniding the state intervene in their horrendous malpractice insurance rates - otherwise they'll all have to move out of state! And........who is fighting for staffing for their patients while they're at home in bed? Yikes - I find I'm ranting!

At least I'm not alone!

[sjoe]

dvarmit writes: "And here in Pennsylvania all the doc's are whining and moaning with tv ads about demaniding the state intervene in their horrendous malpractice insurance rates - otherwise they'll all have to move out of state! And........who is fighting for staffing for their patients while they're at home in bed? Yikes - I find I'm ranting!"

So what is to prevent your state nursing organizations from airing similar TV ads about your situations, or getting news coverage about them?

[nekhismom]

So sorry, Tweety!!!! You're too kind, dear. (((((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))) and :kiss:

Hope it gets better soon.

[teeituptom, BSN, RN]

Welcome to the wonderfull world of nursing

taint it grand

[CherryRN]

They do that to us too.

We could have a bed not even cold yet from a recent discharge and they want to fill it right away!

Hurry hurry..................get them out and get them in..........hurry take care of the other patients you have that aren't going anywhere.....hurry hurrry......do your charting and your meds..........hurry hurry hurry hurry..........

Yeah. hurry yourself. As soon as I get another decent job, I'm out of here.

Cherry

[teeituptom, BSN, RN]

they can tell us to hurry all they want

as I sing to myself

One step at a time. sweet jesus

cant do 2 things at a time anyhow

[mattsmom81]

I hear ya Tom. I say with a smile "I only have 2 speeds, if ya don't like this one ya sure aren't gonna like the other'.

[Sadie04]

I hear ya Tom. I say with a smile "I only have 2 speeds, if ya don't like this one ya sure aren't gonna like the other'.

:rotfl:

I refused a ridiculous assignment last week - I had 7 patients with a CNA and 3 empty beds on a day shift. The charge nurse said 'I have to give you 3 admissions because you have the empty beds.' I replied with 'I'm sorry, but I'm not taking more than 8 patients unless I have more help.' I was prepared to argue the point about it being my license, etc but she called the supervisor and got a float RN to come help. I know it's not always this simple, and I have been stuck with absolutely ridiculous assignments before, but now I've learned to speak up for myself, because it is MY LICENSE on the line if anything happened.